Asteroids Hyper 64

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Another classic is revitalized as a N64 game, but does the formula of old stand the test of time?

By Matt Casamassina

Retro games are in. First Frogger, then Space Invaders and now another shoot-em-up classic, Asteroids, has been reborn on one of today's top game consoles. We mean Nintendo 64, of course. The game, developed by Syrox and published by Crave Entertainment (Milo's Astro Lanes), takes the formula of old -- 2D look and all -- and, like Space Invaders, expands upon it with updated graphics and new game features. But is it all enough to warrant a $49 purchase for those who have already played the original?

The Facts:

50 levels spread over five zones.

Over 15 different types of asteroids including 4 new ones: -Color coded radioactive asteroids will disable different ship functions like weapons, propulsion and control. -Unstable asteroids explode at random. -Heat seeking asteroids zero in on targets. -Cloaked asteroids disappear and reappear throughout play field.

New ship features like multiple impact shields, power-ups and wild card weapons.

GameplayAsteroids Hyper 64 plays, believe it or not, like the classic Asteroids of years ago. Shocked? Developer Syrox has opted to recreate the game in its original 2D style, adding in polygonal foreground asteroids, ships, explosions and the like. The action itself has remained virtually unchanged. Players control an elite ship dispatched to take out various giant, hulking rocks, ships, comets -- what have you. At first, it's fairly simple stuff; aim, shoot, destroy, advance to the next level. But as the game progresses, the pace speeds up until gamers find themselves jetting around a static background screen, avoiding flying space debris, enemy fire, asteroids and black holes while trying to take all of the above out. The control mechanics are simple, but effective. The ship accelerates with A and special weapons are dispatched with the camera buttons. Z-Trigger, meanwhile, shields the vehicle temporarily. It all feels tight enough and very Asteroids-like.

The biggest problem with the game is that it lacks variation and it's not overly difficult. The first 15 levels feature the same static background and same goals. And whereas Activision's update to Space Invaders for Nintendo 64 injected a whole new level of strategy into the title, Asteroids Hyper 64 still features the exact mechanics of old, adding no real depth or new functionality. Aim, shoot, destroy -- over and over and over again. Only the most hardcore Asteroids fanatics will resist the temptation to turn the game off after 35 levels of virtually the same thing.

Multiplayer Asteroids Hyper 64 enables up to four players to shoot it out in various contests for points and it must be said, these modes are generally fun and much more addictive than the single-player action. The mechanics remain largely unchanged, but there are some nice variations on the original, such as the Color Clearance mode. The idea behind these modes -- be it two-player or four, is to earn more points than the person one is playing against. It's old school and simplistic, but fun all the same.

Graphics Unfortunately, the game does not feature a 640x480 high-resolution mode, which begs the question, why not? Space Invaders did it for Nintendo 64 and that title features much more on-screen action than Asteroids Hyper. On the bright side, though, developer Syrox has made up for the glaring omission with some impressive particle effects, sometimes animated background environments and polygon models of much higher quality than those features in Space Invaders. When an asteroid smashes into one's ship, a giant polygonal wave bursts through space engulfing the entire screen. It's a neat effect and not a poorly animated 2D sprite as seen in some other titles of this nature. Background images shoot out lightning bolts that illuminate the screen, blackholes warp around, etc, etc. All in all, the game features some impressive visuals, especially since that it's just a revamped version of Asteroids. And yet, it also lacks a decent selection of graphics. We see the same background over and over again --considering that this game's graphics, more than anything else, are what's changed, it would've been nice to see a stronger selection of differences.

Sound Oddly enough, developer Syrox has opted to take a retro route with the music and sound effects in the game. So, we've got no in-game music and old-school sounding effects. The quality is not impressive and the lack of music is definitely noticeable right off the bat. Probably not a wise decision of Syrox as the end result is more awkward than anything else. Definitely not the game's strong point.

The Verdict

The second of Nintendo 64's holiday season retro titles has arrived. Asteroids Hyper 64 is basically a direct translation of the original featuring enhanced backgrounds and newly implemented polygon models. The mechanics are true to the classic with a few minor additions in terms of weapons and functionality. Unfortunately, the game may not feature enough new goodies to warrant a $50 purchase and gamers seeking something technically marvelous are definitely going to be disappointed.

This is Asteroids with a multiplayer mode and enhanced visuals. Expect loads of repetition. If you can live with that, this will deliver the button mashing fun you're looking for. If you can't, you may want to steer clear of this space debris.